Spring cover for sofa bed



July 3, 1956 B. CASTRO Erm.

SPRING COVER FOR SOFA BED Filed May 12, 1952 July 3, 1956 B. CASTRO ETAL 2,752,613

SPRING COVER FOR SOFA BED Filed May l2, 195 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SPRWG COVER FOR SOFA BED Bernard Castro, Mamaroneck, and Anthony F. Leis, Oakdale, N. Y.

Application May 12, 1952, Serial No. 287,342

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of beds of the type which are adapted to function as a normal sofa when folded and as a bed when unfolded. Otherwise stated such beds are often termed foldable sofa beds.

When used as a sofa, the mattress, bed frame and bed spring remain folded within the sofa frame and beneath the sofa seat cushions. For use as a bed, the sofa seat cushions are removed and the bed frame and its accompanying spring and mattress are pulled upwardly and outwardly until the conventional bed position is attained.

In known sofa beds it is common to provide a cloth spring cover or seat platform which lies underneath the sofa cushions and above the bed spring and mattress when in the folded state. This cloth cover serves to provide a smooth surface upon which the sofa cushions rest, protects the sofa cushions from excessive abrasion, supports the front portion of the sofa cushions, and also protects the spring and mattress from dirst, grime, crumbs and so on.

However, while the use of such cloth spring covers or seat platforms has been widespread in foldable beds of the type described, certain diliiculties and disadvantages have accompanied such use. One arrangement which has been proposed is to attach thefront end of the spring cover to a fiap of upholstery covering the upper front board of the sofa which is theboard immediately beneath the front portion of the sofa cushions,

extending across the front, lower portion of the sofa.`

Since by this device, it is difficult if not impossible to grasp the front board in order to raise and pull out the bed frame for transformation of the sofa into abcd, several expedients have been employed. In one o f'these constructions a strap or loop has been attached to the front board so that the bed frame maybe raised. l This disadvantageous to the extent that 'flexible and collapsible straps or loops which are compatible for funiture service break quite frequently and thus detract from a more widespread acceptance of this very useful form of sofa bed. In place of straps, the placing of finger holes in the cloth spring cover has been proposed. Not only are holes in cloth and upholstery generally objectionable due to their unsightliness but they also tend to defeat one of the functions of the spring cover, namely, to protect the underlying bed portion from contaminants as dirt, dust and the like when the entire structure is used as a sofa.

Moreover, whether holes or straps are utilized, the previously proposed connections of the cloth spring cover to the upholstery of the front board are objectionable. Should the cloth be fastened to the upholstery so that the connection is taut, then the connection is subjected to unequal strains, depending upon the Weight of a person sitting on the sofa, and there is a great tendency to rip either the upholstery or the cloth spring cover. If the cover is fastened to the upholstery of the front board so that slack is left to accommodate such strains, then the spring cover not only looks untidy and is liable to ited States Patent O ice wrinkle but also it fails to provide the needed support for the front part of the sofa cushions.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the foregoing and other difficulties of known constructions of foldable sofa beds. It is an object of this invention to provide a sofa bed arrangement which is efficient and sturdy in construction, economical to manufacture, which has a long useful life, free from excessive repairs, and at the same time is tidy and attractive in appearance. Other objects of this invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out as this specification proceeds.

We have found that the foregoing objectives may be accomplished by eliminating a direct attachment of the cloth cover or seat platform to the upholstery of the front board. In our presently preferred construction, we provide a resilient supporting member which extends across the width of the bed spring adjacent to the front board. To this resilient member is firmly attached, as by sewing, the front end of the cloth spring cover. The entire assembly of resilient member and front end of the cloth cover is so arranged as to fit closely to the front board, and preferably to underlie a horizontal projection on the front board. In some instances, a recess in the front board may be used and the resilient member fitted to lie close to the front board recess.

By these arrangements, and permissible variations thereof, it is relatively easy to open the sofa bed by grasping the inner, underside of the front board nearly any place along its entire extent. In so doing the ngers of the user slightly depress the resilient member which floats relative to the front board. And, when the sofa bed is used solely as a sofa, no direct connection is made between the front board upholstery and the cloth cover, yet there is maintained in relationship between these parts which substantially eliminates the possibility of dirt falling into the mattress and spring area.

` Fig. l and shows the mattress and spring arrangement when transformed for use as abed.

' Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of the front board v and cloth spring cover of the sofa bed of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the plane 4 4 of Fig. 3. Y y

Fig. 5 is a partial perspective View showing the position of a users hand when preparing to raise the spring and mattress to transform the sofa to a bed.

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of the relative arrangements of the front board, bed frame and spring cover of the sofa shown in Fig. l.

More particularly, in the drawings, the sofa bed l1 shown in Figs. l and 2 comprises a frame having four legs (not shown), a back 14 and sides 15. Positioned against the back 14 is back cushion 16. Seat cushion 19 lies between sides 15 and lies generally above bed spring 21 and cover cloth or seat platform 40. An auxiliary hand strap 22 projects through spring cover cloth 40 to provide a handle for pulling the bed frame away from the sofa frame. Head board 23 lies under back cushion 16 and seat cushion 19 in Fig. l; in Fig. 2 it is shown as raised and supported by arm 2S to provide a partition between back cushion 16 and the sleeping pillows (not shown). Front board 27 is shown in Fig. l as extending across the front of sofa 1l and above decorative material 29; in Fig. Z the front'board is shown as positioned below bed spring 21 and as supported byarms of the bed frame collectively designated as 31. Foot board 32 is shown in Fig. 2 as placed adjacent to the foot end of mattress 33.

ln Figs. 3 and 4 it is shown that the inward protrusion 28 of front board 27 overlies the front edge of spring cover cloth 40 which is looped around a resilient at member or strap 4l (such as an iron strap) and isstitched' or otherwise fastened at 40a. Upholstery 27a of front board 27 is closely adjacent to cover cloth 49 nt the lower portion of protrusion 28.

Fig. 6 shows further details of the relative arrangement of front board 2T, cover cloth 40 and the parts of bed frame 3l. Flap 46 is shown as lifted up to reveal the aperture 47 in spring cover cloth 40 through which strap 41 passes; the latter is joined to tension coil spring 42 which at its other end is fixed to extension arm 44 of bed frame 31.

Fig. shows how a hand 43 of a user is placed around the upper portion of front board 27 so that the four Fingers may firmly grasp the under sid'e of protrusion 28. This serves to depress strap 41 andthe enclosing portion of cloth spring cover 'll. The resilient action of spring. 42 (which is duplicated on the opposite end of frame 31) raises strap 4l. when the hand i's removed, thus in effect sealing the space between the front board 27A and the cloth cover 40.

in transforming sofa bed 11 from the sofa to the bed form, the user follows the procedure as indicated in Fig. 5 and lifts front board 27 upwardly. Then, by grasping strap 22 (see Fig. l), the bed frame 31 as well as the mattress 33 and spring 2l are pulled forward and unfolded to the bed position shown in Fig. 2'.

While we have described and shown` in some detail a particular' embodiment of this invention, it isV to be understood that the invention is ,not to be limited to any particular details of construction except insofar as defined. in the appending claims inasmuchas certain modifications and re-arrangement of parts of the particular embodiment described will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

What we claim is'.

l. In a foldable sofa bed of the type having respectively a sofa frame, a folding bed frame adapted` to fold within the Sofa frame and to be covered with seatr cushions, a bed spring attached to said bed frame and a front board movably supported by said bed. frame so that it extends longitudinally across the lower front of the sofa frame when the sofa bed is in the folded or sofa. position, the improvement which comprises a protective sheetof pliable material which lies between` the sofa cushions.. and. the bed spring, said protective sheethaving one end attached to the bed frame near the. foot thereof and the opposite end attached to a movable elongated member which eX- tends substantially across the Width of the bed frame' immediately behind the front board, said movable membei' being resiliently attached to the bed frame so that one end of said protectivev sheet is substantially touching said front board along the length thereof when said sofa bed is in the folded position.

2. The combination of elements as in claim l wherein said movable member includes a iiat thin metal strip spring supported at its two ends by said bed frame.

3. The combination of elements as in claim l wherein said front board has an overhanging back ledge beneath and against which an edge of said protective sheet bears in substantially touching relation, the edge of said sheet being depressable away from said front board to permit a persons fingers to be inserted therebetween.

4. In a Aconvertible bed having a stationary frame, having a bed frame with sprinffs adapted to fold Within said stationary frame, having a front board movably supported by said bed frame so that it extends longitudinaily across the lower front of the stationary frame when the bed is in the folded position, and having seat cushionsadapted to lie. on top of said bed frame when in folded position, a covering sheet-like flexible member attached to the bed frame and adapted to lie upon it when in folded position onx top of said springs and beneath said seat.- cushions said sheet-like member being attached along its rear edge to said bed. frame along a line adjacent the rear edge of. saidseat cushions, and being resiliently attached at its front edge to said bed frame adjacent'the front edge of said seat cushions, the front edge of said sheet-like member when said bed frame is in folded position being, resiliently urged into substantially touching relation along. its length with a surface of said front-board,v

whereby when a person sits on said bed in folded pesition. said sheet-like member can deflect along its front edge and when said bed is not in use and is in folded position said sheet-like member forms an effective seal against dust. along its front edge against said front-board.

5. The combination of elements as in claim 4 in which the top edge of said front-board has a ledge overhanging to the rear and extending, the length of said front board, the front edge of. said sheet-lille member being adapted to bear resiliently against an under faceof said ledge.

6'. The. combination of elements as in claim 4- in which the front edge of. said. sheet-like member is secured to said bed frame by a Hat, thin metal strip attached by springs to said bed frame at. its two ends slightly in front of the front edge thereof when in folded position.

References Cited in theile of this patent UNITED STATES' PATENTS 1,426,580 Lundeen. et al Aug. 22, 1922 2,333,087 Bayer Nov. 2, 1943 2,352,989 Weller July 4, 1944 2,505,989- Pokorny et al May 2, 1950 2,595,038 Woller Apr. 29, 1952 2,605,480 Meisner Aug. 5, 1952 2,634,427 Wodarsky Apr. 14, 1953 

